Sales and purchases of houses, flats and Apartments

Sale

On a sale, we undertake all of the legal work involved to sell your property including repaying your mortgage if you have one and sending you the sale proceeds on the day.

How long will my house sale take?

How long it will take from you accepting an offer until you move out of your house will depend on a number of factors, many out of our control- especially where there is a chain. The average process takes between 6-8 weeks

It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain

Stages of the process

The precise stages involved in the sale of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, below we have listed some key stages:

Take your instructions and give you initial advice

Send out a fittings and contents form and property information form(s) for completion. If the property is leasehold, additional information will be required.

Obtain official copies of the title register and any other relevant title documents from the Land Registry

Prepare draft contract and supporting contract documentation and send to the buyer’s conveyancer.

Where relevant, obtain management information from the landlord and send to buyer’s conveyancer

Request mortgage redemption figures from lender

Answer pre-contract enquiries raised by the buyer’s conveyancer.

Agree completion date

Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened

Complete sale

Deal with payment of the outstanding mortgage

Deal with payment of estate agents

Send title deeds and transfer deed to the buyer’s conveyancer

Deal with payment of any remaining balance back to you

Purchase

On a purchase we carry out all necessary enquiries and checks of a legal nature to make sure the seller owns the property before you hand over money for it and that the property deeds or searches do not disclose any adverse liabilities that you could be responsible for as well as dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty) if the property is in England, or Land Transaction Tax (Land Tax) if the property you wish to buy is in Wales. If the property is a flat the procedure is similar to a freehold house but includes advising you on the terms of the lease and obtaining the landlord’s replies to enquiries designed to make sure there are no debts attached to the flat for unpaid service charges that would attach to you nor any large known items of expenditure that could increase future expenses significantly.

How long will my house purchase take?

How long it will take from your offer being accepted until you can move into your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 6- 8 weeks.

It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. For example, if you are a first-time buyer, purchasing a new build property with a mortgage in principle, it could take 4 weeks. However, if you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 2-3 months. In such, a situation additional charges would apply.

Stages of the process

The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, below we have listed some key stages:

Take your instructions and give you initial advice

Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender’s solicitors if needed

Receive and assess contract documents

Carry out searches

Obtain further planning documentation if required

Make any necessary further enquiries of seller’s solicitor

Give you advice on all documents and information received

Obtain your signature to the contract

Draft Transfer

Advise you on joint ownership (if necessary)

Obtain pre-completion searches

Agree completion date (date from which you own the property)

Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened

Arrange for all monies needed to be received from the lender and from you